Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-04-30

another confiding youngster; but, all the
same he did wonder as he sat there and
watched this fair girl, who somehow reminded
him of rich rosebud bursting into bloom,
how long it would be possible to live in the
same house with her without falling under
the spell of her charm and beauty. And
then he began to think of jess, and what a
strange contrast the two were.
"Where is your sister?" he asked presently.
"Jess7 Oh, think that she has gone to
the Lion Kloof, reading or sketching, don't
know which. You see, in this establishment
represent labor and jess represents intel
lect," and she nodded her head prettily at
him, and added, ~There is a mistake some
where; she got all the brains"
"Ah,n said John, quietly, and looking up at
her, Il don't think that You are entitled to
complain of the way that nature has treated
you"
She blIshed little, more at the tone of his
voice than the words, and went on hastily:
"Jess is the dearest, best and cleverest woman
in the whole world-there, I believe that she
has only one fault, and that is that she thinks
too much about me. Uncle told me that he
| had told you how we came here first when |
| was Q years bltl wen. lGiiiSlliitl thsit
when we lost our way on the veldt that
night, and it rained so and was so cold, jess
took off her own shawl and wrapped it round
me over my own Well, it has been just like
that with her always. | am always to have
the shawl-everythIng is to give way TO me
| But there, that is jess all over; she is very
cold, cold as a stone, sometimes think, but
when she does care for anybody it is enough
to brighten one don't know great num-
Der of women, but somehow | don't think
that there can he many in the world like jess
| She is too good for this wild place, she ought
| to go away to England, write hooks and be-
come famous woman, only" she added, re
| fectively, Il am afraid that jess books
would all he sad ones"
just then Bessie stopped and suddenly
changed color, the bunch of hank, wet
| feathers she held in her band dropping from
it with little splash back into the bath. Fol
| lowing her glance, John looked down the
avenue of blue gum trees aud perceived a big
man with broad hat and mounted on a
| splendid black horse, cantering leisureiy TO-
| ward the house.
| "Who is that. Miss Croft.h he asked
at is man don't like She said, With a
| llttfe stamp OF upi lcDb his name Is + rank
| Muller, and he is half Boer and half al
Englishman He is very rich and very
clever, and OWNS all the land round tins place,
so uncle has to be civil to him, though he
does not like him either | wonder what he
wants now"
| On came the horse. and John thought that
its rider was gong to pass without seeing
| them, when suddenly the movement of Bes
sizes dress between the "naatchen trees caught
his eye, and be pulled up and looked round
He was large and exceedingly handsome
man, apparently about 40 years Old, will
clear cut features, cold, light blue eyes and q
remarkable golden beard that hung right
| down over his chest For a Boer be was rat her
smartly dressed, in English made tweed
clothes and tall riding boots.
-Ah, Miss Bessie" ne called out in English
''there you are with your pretty arms all bare
I'm i'll luck to come just in time to see them
Shall come and help you to wash the feath
ers! Only say the word now